1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an oil-cooled compressor adapted to cool a gas being compressed with a lubricating oil.
2. Description of the Related Art
An oil-cooled compressor designed to lead a lubricating oil to a gas compression space for the purpose of cooling a compressed gas, lubricating a rotor section, and sealing a clearance in the compression space has been widely known. In this type of compressor, an oil tank is mounted within a discharge passage, where the compressed gas discharged together with the lubricating oil is delivered after separation from the lubricating oil, and the lubricating oil thus separated is dripped downwardly to be collected. After being thus collected in the lower part, the lubricating oil is sent back into the compressor body for recirculation.
In the known equipment described above, water in the lubricating oil accumulated in the oil tank gradually separates, gathering beneath this lubricating oil. If this undesirable water separation is left uncorrected, water thus gathering, not the lubricating oil, will be supplied to lubrication points in the compressor body.
It is, therefore, necessary to drain the oil tank, that is to remove water from the oil tank prior to the day's operation. This draining is a troublesome operation.